How To Choose An Accountant
This is probably relevant for many industries and not just accountants, however I will share my experience on what should or may influence your decision to hire an accountant. There are thousands of accountants in the country and the competition from our point of view is fierce with the battle to standout even locally providing a big challenge. So a) how do we as an accountant standout and b) why do you (the customer) care? The answer is all about where the accountants focus and expertise is. I will talk a little about my business and why I appeal to my clients. I have a small business myself, I work for myself mainly and know what challenges new and small businesses face. In addition, I have worked with and for small businesses for over 10 years helping them plan, calculate and save tax. I also truly enjoy the variation that working with many small businesses brings me. One minute I am preparing a set of accounts/tax return for an electrician Cheltenham, then I am advising a rapidly growing in game digital currency company before finishing the morning offering some advice to an actuary who consults for large London financial institutes. The one thing they all have in common is they all work for themselves and run/own their own business. Although I am an accountant based in Cheltenham (Gloucestershire) my clients are far reaching which just adds to the variety and interest for me. As I am passionate in providing a service that is helpful, insightful, valuable, efficient and value for money to my clients to the partnership fits like a glove. THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO KNOW WHO AND WHERE YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE. I WILL LEAVE IT WITH ONE QUESTION, WOULD YOU BUY YOUR OWN SERVICES IF YOU WERE STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE AS THE CUSTOMER? From the customers perspective, do you think that the accountant you are looking to hire knows who they are? If their website seems to appeal to larger organisations with dozens of employees and there are pictures of sky scrapers etc, then do they really want to do an electricians or freelancers tax return? Be confident in who you are as a business, certainly evolve, grow, adapt, change but never lose track of what the business strands for.